Rising tensions in Mozambique, particularly in the troubled Cabo Delgado province, have taken centre stage at a Virtual Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
While the meeting was convened mainly to address political developments in Madagascar, Ramaphosa used his opening address to caution that ongoing conflicts in the region, including in Mozambique, pose a serious threat to Southern Africa’s development ambitions.
“The situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains of grave concern. We also stand in solidarity with the government and the people of Mozambique in their quest for stability and security in Cabo Delgado,” Ramaphosa said.
Speaking in his capacity as Interim Chairperson of SADC, Ramaphosa opened the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held under the theme “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC”.
Peace foundation of economic emancipation
He stressed that peace and security remain the foundation for economic transformation across the region.
Mozambique has for several years battled an insurgency in its northern province, forcing thousands from their homes, disrupting livelihoods and undermining investor confidence.
Armed extremists operating in northern Mozambique have escalated their campaign of violence in recent weeks, targeting communities through deadly raids.
They have destroyed homes, claimed civilian lives and left many children separated from their families, according to the United Nations and humanitarian partners.
The resurgence of attacks by militants aligned to the Islamic State group has forced a massive wave of displacement.
More than 100,000 people were driven from their homes in November, with children making up the majority of those affected. UNICEF estimates that roughly 70,000 minors have been uprooted, many now facing the crisis without the protection of parents or caregivers.
Sporadic violence persists
Although regional interventions, including the deployment of SADC forces, have helped restore relative calm in some areas, sporadic violence continues to raise questions about the long-term sustainability of peace.
Ramaphosa warned that instability in any member state weakens SADC’s Vision 2050, which seeks to build a peaceful, integrated and economically prosperous regional bloc.
“Political and security challenges continue to affect parts of our region,” he said, adding that development goals cannot be achieved in the absence of lasting stability.
The summit’s agenda includes consideration of a report by a SADC fact-finding mission on the political situation in Madagascar. The mission was deployed in October following unrest in September 2025 that resulted in the establishment of a transitional government.
Leaders are also expected to elect an interim incoming chairperson of SADC to ensure continuity within the Troika responsible for political, defence and security matters.
The Heads of State Summit was preceded by meetings of senior officials and the SADC Council of Ministers, underscoring the urgency attached to the region’s political and security challenges.
